Tarzan striding into the sunset

I found some old images I took of Michael Fomenko (aka ‘Tarzan') that were never published.

I’ve tried to find confirmation that he is still living in FNQ as it appears no one has seen him for some time. For many years he trod the highway between Cairns and Innisfail. I simply don’t know what has happen to him.

Countless words and pictures have been taken and written about Michael Fomenko, who walked a road less traveled.

The world is the poorer now that he has disappeared from sight.

He is a reminder that life is as rich and as meaningful as we make it and that it is not about the sum of our possessions, but what we do with the gift of life.

Funny, I don’t remember any of the thousands of cars that use to pass him daily but I do remember this lone recluse who walked the highway and carried his belongings in a sack. He may have appeared destitute but he certainly had a rich story to tell. In his later years, this media-shy recluse had no place to hide on this internet-crazed Facebook of a planet.

Who is he?

Some say he was born in 1930 in Soviet Georgia, the son of princess Elizabeth Machabelli.

I don’t know who to believe. But what I saw in his eyes and weathered old body was a story that drove him away from much of 20th century.

I’m not sure what has happened to Michael Fomenko but I miss this striding sun baked icon of Far North Queensland.

Goodbye Tarzan, wherever you may be on the highway of life, I miss you.

31
Comments

gary elt

I heard he was in a nursing home also-I went looking for him years ago and an aboriginal friend from wugul mission dropped me off at cedar bay in his tinny--I did find him on the beach at his fire--I sat and chatted he asked me to turn his canoe over for him at the next cove as he was drying the butter he rubbed into the wood--it took all my strength and he dragged it down from the mountain-he told me there is might and mayne--you may have the might but you need the main--gary ingham

Beverly Blaauw

My sightings of Michael Fomenko were like most people's. The half naked, grizzled, grey-haired man, humping an old sack and looking neither to right nor left. But a fascinating sight when one had read something of his history. However, one day, I was in Woolworths, scruffling through the shelves of various milk cartons, when he appeared beside me. No sound, no word, just chose his milk carton and went on his way. I would have loved a word or two, but could only respect the privacy of this very private man. It is wonderful to hear he is still alive and I believe ABC is doing a story on him. Must check that out.

Mykl

I had four encounters with Tarzan.
One day I picked him up hitch hiking from Deeral heading south. I said I'm only going as far as Bellenden Ker (4kays away). He hopped in with a can of coke and I asked him why he was drinking that shit for, he laughed but said nothing. A few minutes later I dropped him off and he offered me money for the lift. I laughed but he was serious. I remember a strong odour about him, not offensive but very earthly.
Second time I picked him up at Mirriwinni and dropped him off at Goondi Hill. I was driving a ute and had a dog in the passenger seat. He said; "Oh!.. I'll get in the back." I said no mate you get in the front the mutt will go in the back.
Third time I was with a mate fishing a crocodile infested river/creek mouth a few kays north of Bramston Beach at 5 am in the morning, when we noticed a hessian sack floating across the water. And them to our astonishment Tarzan appeared under it and proceeded to walk south into the distance . We exchanged greetings and we offered him a freshly caught shark but he politely declined.
Lastly and even more disturbingly, probably around 2012, I was driving north to Cairns and just after Behana creek bridge (which was one of his camps) I noticed him on the road. He wasn't hitch hiking so I continued upon my way but just as I was about 50 metres away from him and travelling at100kph he staggered into the middle of the road. I remember thinking at the time that that was a suicide attempt.

Lori phillips

I believe he is in a nursing home in Gympie now..

Ken West

I was about 18 working at Mourilyan sugar mill at the time when Michael wandered in wanting sugar. We gave him all he wanted and after conversation with him for ten minutes or so, he wandered off. It seems that he attended a university in USA.

Arthur Gorrie

Hi - really interested in any pictures of Mr Fomenko that we could use in The Gympie Times, with attribution, as he is now living here in the Cooinda Nursing Home. He doesn't wish to be photographed or interviewed, which is no surprise.

Cecilia Davern

I am on an AVID Program (Australian Volunteers for International Development) in Nuku'alfa Tonga. Now and then I check in to catch up with news from home (Cairns). I just read this fascinating story about Tarzan because I used to see him regularly running with his sack on his back. I am curious to know more about his life. If he had passed away then I feel we have lost someone whose life could teach us something about ourselves.

Mike "banjo" Patterson

I was told that he had a degree , possibly Anthropology, and went up to the Bloomfield area to learn from the aboriginals about living in the bush.
Later on he paddled a canoe to West Irian and much later wandered Cape York. He had been injured by a wild pig and people at the homesteads were worried about him and a police party with a tracker found him and he was taken by rail to a mental institution in the south. My Uncle "Bunny" Patterson spoke to him on the train at Townsville around the mid 60's. He asked my uncle for a cigarette - he was well known back then by all.
He was finally released as he obviously wasn't mental but simply a recluse bushie.
There are numerous stories about him eg asking for a new bankbook at the Commonwealth bank at Tully as a crocodile had eaten his previous one !!
I used to like seeing this gentleman walking into cairns - a proud and insular man who lived life in his own way BUT didn't effect others.
It was great hearing he is still alive this morning.
Thanks ABC Far North for bringing out this mans history.

Chris

My mum's family used to live near the Fomenko family in Northbridge. I remember her saying how he was a talented sportsperson but sadly not someone who 'fitted in'. She once mentioned a memory of him practicing throwing spears out the front of his house.

Bhama Daly

Yes, I remember the leathery, sun-burnt man, strong of physique, carrying a bag over his shoulder, and running, not walking along the Bruce Kennedy Highway, between Edmonton and Cairns. He looked like a lost, lone wolf in search of something or someone. I thought I saw him about a year ago, pace a lot slower, but still an independent spirit.

Grace

Yea I remember this chap, we thought he was crazy at the time.

Addie

It's a beautiful photograph.

Silvia

I wonder where he is and how he is.

Lotus

A friend of mine said he saw him last week in Westcourt, Cairns...

David Bradley

try contacting Mossman hospital, as i am sure it was reported that he passed away due to pneumonia a couple years back.

John

I remember giving Michael a few lifts years ago, between Aloomba and Edmonton. He described to me about how years ago in the past he hollowed out a log and paddled to PNG. He told me that he had a log he was hollowing out to do it again, he was 75 at the time. Is it possible he has attempted this again? Not sure, but he certainly was determined at the time he told me.

Greg

I'm pretty certain the Cairns Post had an article on his passing a couple of years ago. Surely the ABC has something in their archives. My colleagues at work all seem to think he has passed on.

Greg Dwyer

I'd dearly love to know how he is and where he is, if he's still around.
I too got to spend some time with him and he has such a special place in my heart. I've read up and spoken to many people about his life and I can reassure anyone of the validity of his amazing life history.
A hugely inspiring man especially in such a climate of greed and soulless consumerism.
Not seeing him on the road leaves a hug hole in my image of the far north.

M'Lis Flynn

Sadly I believe he may have died a couple of years ago. But I am not entirely positive,

Tim Warnock

I have recently been told that Michael is in a retirement village in the Wide Bay region. I had some Sydney journalist students who came up late last year looking into it. There is quite a bit of information available about him.

Sandra Frye

My son and I were driving from Cairns to Babinda one day and we saw Tarzan jogging along the side of the road. We had passed him many times. This particular time as we saw him he stumbled and tripped slightly, so I slowed down to check if he was ok... My son insisted we give him a lift.
So we asked Tarzan if he wanted a lift and he agreed... We drove him a few kilometres and he was a very polite, quiet man. Once we stopped to let him out he kindly offered to pay us. But we said no, and waved our good byes.
We will never forget our time spent with such an interesting icon of far north Queensland.

estelle

The last time I saw Michael was in Westpac in Innisfail and he was having trouble walking, I had heard that he was living in Cardwell at an aged care facility.

Paula

I have heard he is in a convalescent home now as he was unable to sustain his life of solitude in his hideaway campsite around Gordonvale.

megan s

Only last week did I ask my husband if he had seen this great man. We haven't seen him for many months and we drive the highway daily :(

Heather McMillan

I had heard he was living with his great neice near Dubbo NSW then news was he was in an old peoples home somewhere in Qld. A friend of mine here in Gordonvale knows some of the latest. I miss the lovely gentleman trudging along the highway to Cairns. I loved his freedom to wander Gordonvale, shop at IGA, chat to passer bys. Miss ya Tarzan, thanks for the photo, its a treasure !!!!!

joe murphy

Michael's story is well documented and no mystery - google it if you must.
Manic Depression, not recognized let alone treated.............
A sad tale to be true but some many millions more as well..

Melanie

A friend got to know him over the years, and was writing a book about his life. Unfortunately my friend passed away before his work was complete. I imagine there are many stories and memories out there of this man that many saw but few actually knew.

Jay Morris

When I was kid fishing in the Mulgrave river I stumbled upon him at his camp he was very friendly and shared a lot of stories about his life he was very interesting

Suzanne Bayliss

My husband and I, together with our five children, knew Tarzan as a visitor to our home in Cooktown between the mid-seventies and mid-eighties. He then disappeared from Cooktown. He turned up in the Daintree, Cairns, and Innisfail areas. He had lived on Grassy Hill, Cooktown, with feral pigs. Once a week or so he came down to our home to talk about the pigs, politics, sociology, anthropology, archeology, theology, war and any matter of local interest at the time. We sat together beneath a milky-pine tree drinking tea and eating scones with jam while discussing many things of interest. He was well educated though clinically mad. He remained a recluse I believe, for most of his life. I am now widowed and live in Cairns but haven't seen him for many years. He would be very frail aged if he is still alive but I suspect he has now passed from this life, leaving us all better people for having known him. He used to sleep in hollowed logs in rain forest, bush or grassy areas. Anywhere away from main stream society. He always carried his worldly possessions with him, often tied in a bundle on the end of a long stick or part of a tree branch over his shoulder. Thank you for sharing a lovely token of respect for a man who had a troubled life, a disturbed and busy mind, and yet a great deal of wisdom and worldly knowledge. He retained an aura of mystery and intrigue throughout his wanderings across the globe from Europe to Australia.

Michael Bromage

When I was a kid travelling around the Far North for music and sports my brothers and I would see Tarzan and wonder who, why how... When browsing ABC Open this morning the memories and curiosity was immediately re-ignited with your photograph, Michael. It seems that the mystery of Tarzan continues...

Gemma Deavin

Michael, when I moved the Cairns, Tarzan was one of the first 'characters' I heard about. You're right, his story is fascinating, and surrounded with mystery. I am sure there are a lot of Far North Queensland locals who have similar memories of seeing him over the years.